Personal Safety & Awareness Programme

Personal Safety Ireland offer a fun, engaging, interactive programme in Personal Safety and Awareness. The following topics will be covered during a 3 hour programme.

Attitudes & Behaviour.

Anti-social Behaviour.

How to avoid confrontation.

Tips on what to do if unable to avoid confrontation.

How to challenge inappropriate behaviour.

How to avoid becoming a victim of crime.

Easy to learn self-defence moves.

Open to 1st to 6th year students.

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NEW KDYS PROJECT

KDYS Irish Internationals

A need for this group has been identified by Deimante Seikus and we are in the process of establishing a planning group, if you live in Ireland but either you or your parents/guardians originate from another Country and you would like to be a part of this new and exciting project, please contact Anne at the KDYS stand on Friday 10th March at lunch time to register.

KDYS Information Stand: – Colaiste na Sceilge: Friday Lunch time

Should you have any questions or ideas for programmes in your community, please talk to Anne at the KDYS Stand or contact her on 087 7801575 or email:- annemurphy@kdys.ie

School Programmes:

LCA Students

Currently LCA Students are involved in an Environmental Awareness Programme which is focusing on Eco Health & Wellbeing promoting the 5 A Day for Positive Wellbeing utilising the local Environment to achieve their outcomes:-

Which are:-

To Connect – The LCA connected with their school community by hosting a healthy breakfast morning in December utilising the new Food Pyramid introduced in 2016 by the Department of Health. They have connected with local community groups, such as Cahersiveen Social Services, ACARD Ltd and Cahersiveen Tidy Towns.

Be Active – they went out into the local environment and participated in activities which enabled the team to be physically active as well as mentally active.

Take Notice –they researched both on social media and by site visits and have linked in with ACARD to plant flower boxes for the elderly in the Spring.

Get Involved – they got involved in consultation around the development of the local children’s park and added a proposal for the development of a ‘Fairy Trail’ to the project.

Give/learn – they have given of their time, gifts and talents to enhance the environment and to have a positive impact on health and wellbeing and are continuing to work on the Fairy Trail and to help out with The Kerry Parents & Friends at Cunamh House with ‘wall art’ in the garden of the centre.

They have entered the Young Environmentalist Awards 2017 –

we wish them the best of luck.

KDYS PEER MENTORING PROGRAMME

The Peer Mentoring programme has been running since October 2016. This is a new pilot and the focus is on 5 A Day for Positive Wellbeing. So the 5th years who trained as Mentors in 4th year ran the programme for the two sessions before Christmas. You know who you are, thank you all for your time and commitment, it would not have happened without your input.

In January 2017 the current 4th Years attending KDYS Peer Mentoring training and have delivered Session 3 and will be delivering Session 4 in March and Session 5 just before Easter. In September 2017 they will deliver Session 1 & 2 to the incoming 1st Years and will pass on to the 4th Years in January 2018.

Session 1: Connect – The mentors did a team building exercise and introduced the young people to a democratic process. They also highlighted the importance of connecting with friends, family, teachers, your Year Head, School Chaplin, Counsellor, Vice-Principal, Principal or to talk to their mentor and they would point them in the right direction. Talk. Relationships matter:- everyone in the Colaiste were there to help make the transition as seamless as possible.

Session 2: Be Active – Walk, run, dance, cycle. Exercise makes you feel good. The Mentors organised a number of high energy alternative games to help release endorphins which trigger a positive feeling thus helping to promote the benefits of being involved in physical activities.

Session 3: Take Notice – of the world around you and of what you are feeling. The Mentors produced a Powerpoint Presentation on Positive Wellbeing/Mindfulness and delivered it to all 1st year groups.

Session 4:Get Involved – Join a group or club in your school or community and have your say! The young people will deliver a worksheet to the 1st years to identify

what groups and clubs they are involved in and

what gaps they identify in the provision of services for young people in the area.

Session 5: Give– Do something nice for a friend or stranger; thank someone, volunteer and smile. The mentors are going to organise an event for the 1st years such as an Easter Egg Hunt. The 1st years will be asked to do random acts of kindness over their Easter break.

The Mentoring programme is a learning process for all involved. The programme has being developed by the KDYS and builds on the 5 A Day as promoted by Jigsaw Kerry Young people’s health in mind.

About Us

KDYS is a voluntary youth work organisation providing a range of quality services responding to the needs of children, young people, their families and communities in County Kerry. Since our establishment in 1971 the Kerry Diocesan Youth Service has always striven to meet the real needs of young people through committed volunteers, trained staff and the implementation of best practice.

Presently KDYS delivers a diverse range of family support, children and young peoples services spread throughout the Diocese of Kerry. The added value that KDYS brings to each individual programme is that it co-ordinates an integrated approach in responding to young peoples needs. KDYS recognise that in all communities there are young people with a range of distinct issues that combine to marginalise the person and ultimately lead them into a life filled with more negative behaviour. KDYS understands how individually diverse projects such as early school leaving – Youthreach, Garda Youth Crime diversion work, drugs and alcohol projects, family support projects such as Springboard and Neighbourhood Youth Projects as well as universal services for young people can combine to generate a more effective overall response from the young person.

The KDYS is the first youth work organisation in Ireland to receive the YWI Quality Standards Award, The Excellence Ireland Award and the FAS Excellence Through People standard. Also, we are a gold medal Youth Health promoting organisation

Our Mission

To enable young people to gain for themselves the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary to meet their own and others’ developmental needs.

KDYS South West Kerry

The following programmes are being offered to young people from 12 to 18 years in the South West Kerry area: Kells/Foilmore to Castlecove.

KDYS Band Project

The Band Project meet on the last Friday of each month in Tech Amergin, Waterville from 7.30pm – 9.30pm. The project is co-ordinated by Marian O’Neill, Waterville and Darragh Lynch, Portmagee. The project provides young people with a space to meet and enjoy music together, share their skills and knowledge and discover different music genres.

KDYS Youth Forum

This forum will give young people an opportunity to have a voice in youth issues in their area and to feed into the KDYS, Kerry Comhairle na nÓg and other groups interested in consulting with young people in the community. The Forum will meet every second week and the young people will decide on a project which they feel impacts on their lives and work on bringing about change. Parents Rota or Volunteer required.

KDYS Adventure Club

The adventure club is based on discovering what is available for young people in the South West Kerry area and how links and relationships can be built with the broader community. Also it will provide young people with an opportunity to experience different clubs and groups in the community. This group will meet once a week, times and dates will depend on what activity is chosen by the young people and the programme will last for 8 weeks. Parents Rota or Volunteer required.

KDYS Cooking for life

This programme is to enable young people to cook basic meals which are nutritional, economical and quick to prepare. Thus when they move on to College or work in the future, they can prepare meals for themselves which won’t take too much time from their busy college/work lives. This is a 6 week programme with maximum of 10 places on the programme. Parents Rota or Volunteer required.

N.B.: These programmes are partnerships between young people, KDYS, parents and the broader community. Each programme will require a parent or volunteer to cover at least one session during the duration of the programme. If you or you know of anyone interested in volunteering for any of the above programmes please contact Anne Murphy on 087 7801575 or email:annemurphy@kdys.ie

Young people interested can contact Anne at the KDYS Youth Information stand in Coláiste na Sceilge at Friday lunch times. ______________________________________________________